Louis, called "Polly" by many, was born April 7, 1922, at Sulphur, to Trent W. Sikes and Ethel (Elkins) Sikes. His mother died when he was 3 years old, and his paternal grandmother, with other family relatives, raised him. He was also preceded in death by his father and a brother, Trent "Pete" Sikes.

Louis grew up in southern Oklahoma and attended schools in Mill Creek, Sulphur, Lone Grove and Springer. Following high school, he worked in the Kaiser Shipyards in California where Liberty ships were built for the war effort. He was soon drafted into the service, and served in England, France, Belgium and Germany during World War II, and later in Korea during the Korean Conflict.

He married his high school sweetheart, Rose Marie Bennett, in 1943.

In 1954, when CATV was in its pioneering stage, he became employed by the Vumore Company, which was only the second system in the United States at the time. During the next 34 years, he was involved in the construction and maintenance of many other systems, some of which were very unique, such as providing television signals to citizens living across Glen Canyon at Page, Ariz. He retired from Post Newsweek Cable as division engineer in 1988.

Louis was a member of Emmanuel Baptist Church of Ardmore.

He is survived by his wife of 70 years, Rose Marie Sikes, of the home in Ardmore; a step-sister, Delano Roberson, of Arlington, Texas; sister-in-law Betty Landers and husband, Richard, of Fort Worth, Texas; brother-in-law Jack D. Bennett and wife, Florence, of San Antonio; nephew Connie Mack Sikes and wife, Sherri, of Purcell; and sister-in-law Joy Sikes of Purcell.

Those wishing to make donations in Louis' memory may make them to Emmanuel Baptist Church Building Fund, 120 Veterans Blvd, Ardmore 73401, or to the charity of their choice.